BELMONT, N.C. -- Freshman Ava Elkins started her Conference Carolinas career with a bang, getting six hits with three home runs in Belmont Abbey's Conference Carolinas-opening doubleheader on Monday. However, Southern Wesleyan took a pair of victories over the Crusaders, 5-4 and 16-12.

The Abbey falls to 8-7 overall and 0-2 in league play, while the Warriors improve to 12-8, 2-0.

THE OPENER

• Elkins, batting in the nine-hole, went  three-for-three with two home runs. She scored three times and drove in two.
• Foster Sharpe also had three hits, all singles, while driving in a run.
• Halley Mele had two hits, while Bailey Presley and Mackenzie Allison each tallied one to round out the offensive attack.
• Belmont Abbey outhit SWU 10-9 in the contest, but left six runners on base.
• Makenna Meadors (1-2) took the loss after coming on in relief in the fifth inning.
• Belmont Abbey took a 2-0 lead in the third on Allison's RBI single and an infield single by Sharpe.
• Elkins home runs tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth and closed the gap to 5-4 in the seventh.
• All five of Southern Wesleyan's runs came on solo homers.

THE NIGHTCAP

• Elkins led the way with another three-hit performance, including a grand slam during a seven-run second.
• Allison and Dorothy Wunderlich enjoyed multi-hit games, while five other players reached base with a hit.
• Wunderlich drove in three -- two on a double in the first and the last on a single in the seventh.
• Meadors took the loss again to fall to 1-2, coming in during the fifth inning. 

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey continues its 10-game homestand on Friday against UNC Pembroke.
• First pitch at Crusader Field is set for 12 noon.